I remember vividly the Holy Spirit lovingly convicting me of an unknown sin. Honestly, it was something I thought clearly right at the time. Yet the Lord began to show me the deep damage I had caused. It seemed very subtle and even my heart was in the right place. I thought I was obeying the Lord. Yet I had not thought through the effects on a heart of one of His children. To make matters more grievous I had failed to tend that same heart when I knew it was broken. I remember the sickness in my stomach over the revelation of such a truth. I wept for some time over the thought of hurting another. The carpet in my little closet was soaked with the sorrow of repentance. I have always been cautious about hurting people…almost obsessively trying not to..but my zeal to obey the Lord actually clouded His very heart. Although it was rough and painful as the Holy Spirit began to deal with me, it was also a moment of joy…that I could actually go try to fix it.
Not knowing whether forgiveness would be given, I knew I had to humble myself and do my part…and Christ would do His. I knew if I didn’t He would not trust me with other hearts to which He wanted to send my way for love and truth. It was the heart of Christ, Himself. There was such freedom and joy as the Holy Spirit cleansed my own heart…
He had ARRESTED me…and I knew intimately then what Jesus means when He says “the truth shall set you free..” I shudder to think at what might have happened should I have ignored His heart…so many times I think God tries to nudge us into obedience but we resist…with many many excuses. Sin is still sin and if we dare to live daily resisting…He may very well let us have our way in it…which will leave us void of His Spirit, short of His destiny for us, and captive to sin itself….may it never be so. Should He come with sweet conviction….let Him have His way…do not resist arrest…:)
There comes the sound of sweet chains
A lock is turned by keys
Arrested behind divine bars
The Holy Spirits convicting plea.
He comes, yes, to confront
To tear down inner walls
Prepare for solemn songs
He’s shattering secret Sauls.
He shall not release thy soul
When Father loves thee well
It’s a prison of passion and zeal
For healing just be still.
Put down the Holy facade
For He has made you now
He’s diving deeper yet
Into that hidden well.
Arrested…by such love..
Thy comfort holdeth thee
Yet in the same sweet breath
The Sword is cutting deep.
See, truth is double edged
It’s beauty is full of pain
Yet setting captives free
The Spirit of Truth proclaims.
So settle in these shackles
For softest they can be
When arrested by His Spirit
Until thy work’s complete.
Wrestle not too long
Lest His Spirit withdraws
And leaves you but to sin
Turning you over to it all.
December 22, 2015
Galatians 5:16-23
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Romans 8:5-9
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. 6 For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 7 For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. 8 Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
9 You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
Psalm 81:12
So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.
Romans 1:28
Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done.
